Inspired by a true story, The Harder They Come is a devastating and indelible novel from modern master TC Boyle. Set in contemporary Northern California, The Harder They Come explores the volatile connections between three damaged people—an aging ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran, his psychologically unstable son, and the son's paranoid, much older lover—as they careen towards an explosive confrontation.

For more information, please contact the St. Louis County Library at 314.994.3300.

Monday, April 6 at 7PM Bestselling Author T. C. BOYLE speaking & signing his new novel, The Harder They Come Lit lovers, join us tonight as we once again welcome bestselling author (and BookPeople favorite) T. C. Boyle. Set in contemporary Northern California, Boyle's new novel, The Harder They Come, explores the volatile connections between three damaged people--an aging ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran, his psychologically unstable son, and the son's paranoid, much older lover--as they careen towards an explosive confrontation. The speaking portion of this event is free & open to the public. Tickets are required for the signing and only available with the purchase of a copy of The Harder They Come from BookPeople. PLEASE NOTE: The speaking portion of this event is free & open to the public. Tickets are required to join the signing line. Tickets are only available with the purchase of a copy of The Harder They Come from BookPeople. Books & tickets are now available to pre-order. Purchasing a book online automatically assigns you a ticket for the signing. There is no separate "ticket" item to add to your cart. Tickets are lettered. The line for the signing will form according to ticket letter after the author speaks. ABOUT T. C. BOYLE T. C. Boyle is an American novelist and short story writer. Since the late 1970s, he has published fourteen novels and ten collections of short stories. He won the PEN/Faulkner award in 1988, for his third novel, World’s End, and the Prix Médicis étranger for The Tortilla Curtain in 1995, as well as the PEN/Malamud prize for the short story in 1999 and the 2014 Henry David Thoreau award for excellence in nature writing. He is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California and lives in Santa Barbara, California. ABOUT The Harder They Come On a vacation cruise to Central America with his wife, seventy-year-old Sten Stensen unflinchingly kills a gun-wielding robber menacing a busload of senior tourists. The reluctant hero is relieved to return home to Fort Bragg, California, after the ordeal--only to find that his delusional son, Adam, has spiraled out of control. As Adam's mental state fractures, he becomes increasingly schizophrenic--a breakdown that leads him to shoot two people in separate instances. On the run, he takes to the woods, spurring the biggest manhunt in California history. As he explores a father's legacy of violence and his powerlessness in relating to his equally violent son, T. C. Boyle offers unparalleled psychological insights into the American psyche. Can't make it to the event? You can order a signed copy! Add the book to your cart and write "SIGNED COPY" in the comments field during checkout. We ship worldwide. Thank you for supporting your local independent bookstore!

***We will provide a light dinner at this event. If you are planning to come, please preregister at 603-643-4120 or reference@thehowe.org.*** Join us to discuss When the Killing's Done by T. C. Boyle and talk about what is natural. At each session in this reading, viewing, and discussion series, in addition to discussing the book, we will watch and discuss an interview with the book's author and a short film about people who are "pushing the limits" in their everyday lives. The film on May 2 features Cameron Clapp, a triple amputee whose life and determination to run a triathlon show how new technologies are pushing the limits of what it means to be human – and how his risk-taking nature helps him to push his own limits. "Pushing the Limits" is a reading, viewing, and discussion program for adults in communities served by rural libraries, made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation. (howe_library)… (more)

In 1888, Marantha Waters has come to San Miguel at the behest of her husband Will, a stubborn Civil War veteran who is determined to make a profit from the island's vast sheep ranch. Marantha is all but bed-ridden with consumption, only to be confronted with increasingly unanticipated hardships as her family tries to thrive in their isolation from modern society. In 1930, Elise Lester, a librarian from New York City, and her energetic WWI veteran husband, Herbie, take over the sheep ranch. As the years progress they, in opposition to the Waters family, gain a sense of purpose from tending the secluded land. However, as the Depression leads into the Second World War, the Lesters discover that San Miguel may not be quite the idyll they've made it out to be.

This discussion is free and open to the public. Those wishing to get books signed will be asked to purchase at least one copy of San Miguel from Vroman's, and one additional copy for every 3 books they bring from home. Save your Vroman's receipt; it will be checked when you enter the signing line.